How to sprout green gram

I used to buy sprouts every time from market until I realized that this can be made at home very easily. The sprouting process increases nutrient levels, making sprouts richer in protein, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese and vitamins C and K than unsprouted plants. These sprouted green gram can be stored for a week in freeze/ fridge and can be used for salads, dosa and various dishes.

Method

1. Was and soak the raw green gram in water for about 12 hours.

2. Drain the green gram completely. Store them in a hotpack with lid closed for another 12 hours.Alternatively, you can cover and tie the green gram in a muslin cloth and leave them overnight.

3. After 12 hours, you can find the sprouts germinated. :)

 

How to cook Basmati Rice

During my initial days of cooking, one of the most hardest thing was to get the basmati rice cooked perfectly. I was not at all sure why I was not getting it perfect and what is the real trick. It took lots of trial and error to crack the secret behind cooking the rice perfectly. When you under cook the basmati rice, they are raw when you bite and you can very well find that they are under cooked. If you overcook your basmati rice, they will breakdown and stick together and will no longer look like a basmati rice. A perfectly cooked bamati rice is where, the rice is long and does not stick together and yet remain very soft when you eat it. The flavor and aroma that comes when you cook basmathi rice is just too appetizing. I love it:):) Yum Yum.. So let me share the secret of cooking the basmati rice in perfect way for your pulao, fried rice etc which I have tried, tested and mastered after 3 years of attempt:) There are 2 ways of cooking a basmati rice. one with closed lid and other with open lid. I am here going to discuss the closed lid method of cooking basmati rice which is easier to adopt in our kitchen. It is always best to get a good brand basmati rice to yield the best results.

Cooking Basmati Rice in Electric Cooker/ Non stick Pan with lid

• Rinse Basmati rice 2 times nicely to get rid of excess starch This help the basmati rice to be cooked individually and not sticking to each other.
• Soak the basmati rice for about half hour in lukewarm water.
• Drain the soaked basmati rice and add it to Pan or electric rice cooker.
• The Rice to water ratio is 1:2 if you are not adding vegetables or if you have already kept your veggies cooked separately.
• If in case you are using combination of milk and water, you need to count water and milk together. Eg: if you take 1 cup rice, you can take 2 cups of liquid(milk+ water) together.
• If you are going to cook your rice with vegetables, then add 1/2 cup of water extra.
• Add salt such that the water tastes salty. It becomes fine when the rice and veggies absorb water after getting cooked. This salt again depends on whether you are cooking with veggies or not. Add 2 tsp more if you are going to add veggies as well.
• In electric cooker, once the rice is done, it comes to keep warm mode. This is the Indication that it is done.Close the lid and keep it in warm mode for 5 mins and later switch off.
• In Non stick pan, keep the flame in low or medium. You need to check if all the rice is cooked and water is evaporated at regular intervals. I suggest you keep the flame in low so that the rice at the bottom does not get burnt.If your Rice to water proportion is correct and you cook on a constant low flame, the rice is sure shot to be cooked properly. 
• Do not mix the basmati rice immediately after they are cooked, as they start sticking together and becomes mushy. Wait for it to cool down a bit and then gently mix it for a perfect mixing and texture in case of making Pulao/Fried rice etc.

Cooking Basmati Rice in Pressure Cooker

• Same steps as above. The Rice to water proportion is all the same.
• Transfer the rice to cooker and pressure cook for exactly 2 whistles on a medium flame and switch it off.
• Don't take off the whistle immediately. Allow the pressure to settle on its own.
• Now open the cooker and basmati rice is just cooked perfectly :)

Cooking Al Dente Pasta

Cooking pasta al dente is definitely an art and comes only with repeated trial and error. Still some quick tips can definitely help you from overcooking/under cooking your pasta. When you over cook your pasta, it becomes too soft and mushy. That is not right. Neither should you under cook your pasta, which makes it raw and on the harder side when you bite it.

The right Al Dente pasta looks and feels firm, but when you bite it you will easily break it. This is the perfect state of an al dente pasta. Some of the pasta pack come with package instructions on how to cook them. Sometimes, these instructions may work out or may not. hence, it is essential that we know to cook rightly.

 

Steps

1. Take a large pan filled with water. Add salt such that the water tastes salty.

2. Bring the water to boil.

3. Now, add the raw pasta to the above pan and keep stirring occassionally.

4. Check the softness of the pasta at regular intervals.

5. When you are able to break the pasta easily with a bite and the pasta outside still looks       firm, thats when you need to drain the pasta.Drizzle some olive oil so that the pasta does not stick to each other.

6. Pasta Al Dente is now ready:)

Blanching Tomatoes

Steps

1. Boil the tomatoes nicely in water for 5 mins on high flame.
2. You can notice that the skin starts peeling off. (as shown in the first pic).
3. Remove the tomatoes from the boiling water,strain them and wash them in cold water.
4. Try removing the skin of the tomatoes with your fingers and it peels off so easily :)

Blanching Almonds & Pistachios

This is a very simple and a quick process.You don't have to soak almonds overnight.I have given here the most easiest and quickest way of blanching almonds.

Steps

1. Take water in a pan and add the almonds to be blanched to the water.
2. Boil the water for about 2 mins.
3. Remove the pan from flame and strain the almonds from the hot water.
4. Wash almonds once again with cold water to cool them.
5. With your index and thumb finger,peel the almond skin and it comes off at ease:)

Note: The same above process is used for blanching pistachios as well.After blanching,pistachios are dark parrot green in color.